Offset for log carriages



E. S. RIDEOUT OFFSET FOR LOG CARRIAGES Filed Aug. 15

EQU?? a `arfch 4, 1924."

Patented lidar. 11, 1924.

EDT//'Al/D'S. RIDEOUT, 0F KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON, ASSTGNOR OF OE-HALF TOyHAROLD D. IORTENSEN, OF .KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON.

orrsn'r .non nos" oanaraens.

Application filed August 15, 1922. Serial No. 581,919.

To all whom it may conce/m.'

Be it known that l, EDWARD S. RiDnoUr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Klamath Falls, county of Klamath, and State of Gregori, havevinvented new and useful improvements in Offsets for Log Carriages, ofwhich the following is a speci- 'cation This invention relates to sawmill machinery, and particularly pertainsv to an 0H- set mechanism forllog carriages. It is the principal object of the present invention toprovide automatically operating means for moving a log carriagelaterally toward and away fromvthe plane of a saw, by which a logcarried by the carriage is to be cut.

The present invention contemplates the use of a log carriage adapted to`travel on a track, and which carriage has a frame laterally movablerelative to the running gear of the carriage, being fitted withautomatically operating means for shifting the carriage `frame inalternate directions relative to the running gear as the carriage ismoved back and forth along its track.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in plan showing the complete invention. 1

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation yshowing the carriage with a logmounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation showing theactuating means for the trip mechanism of the carriage.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in plan just them relative to the axles ltoinsure a showing a portion of the actuating means shown in Fig. r3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates rails on whichthe log carriage 11 is intended to travel. This carriage is providedwith a running gear constituting a plurality of axles 12 supported insuitable journal boxes 13 beneath a frame V14. The axles are Vslidablethrough the journal boxes and are fitted at their opposite ends withwheels 15 and 16. The wheels 16 are preferably formed with opposedflanges around their circumferential faces, while the faces of thewheels 15 are flat.

The frame 14 may be of any design and construction, although here shownas being formed with a pair of parallel girders 1 8 connected bytransverse beams 19. The

frame. is intended to support a log as shown at 2O and to permit the logto be cut lengthwise by means of a band or other saw not shown in thedrawings.

It is thel principal object of the present invention to provideautomatically operating means to intermittently shift the framelaterally of the track. and thus to move the log away from the saw as itis being drawn back for a new cut and to move the log over when this cutis about to be made. The means for producing this result comprise an airor steam cylinder 21 which is secured to an extension frame 22 of thecarriage. This cylinder is fitted withv a piston 23 provided with apiston rod 24. The piston rod in the present instance is parallel withthe track and is fitted -with an operating lever25. This lever ispivoted intermediate its ends to a pivotal mounting 26 carried by theframe structure 22. The opposite end of the lever 25 from the piston isconnected with a rod 27` also extending parallel with the track. Theends of this rod are secured to bell crank levers 28 and 29. Theselevers lars are split and are threaded onto the axles, thus making itpossibley to readily adpredetermined stroke.

, The cylinder 21 is provided with ports 34 and 35 at its opposite ends,which ports may be alternately opened by a sliding valve member 36. Thesliding valve is connected with a lever 37 pivoted to the carriage frameat 38. The free end of this lever extends inwardly toward the body ofthe carriage and is secured to a connecting rod 39 leading to a bellcrank 40. The bell' crank 40 is pivoted upon a pin 41 held by a bracket42 on the carriagey frame. The horizontal leg of this bell crank isprovided with a depending connecting rod 43 which is pivoted to a shaft44. This shaft extends through secured at its lower end to a'shoe 46.The

a verticallopening inra `bracket 45fand isl shoe 46, as more clearlyshown in Fig. 4 is formedwith opposite bevelled sides, substantiallyagreeing with the bevelled faces of the opposite flanges of a carriagewheel 16 between which flanges the shoe is positioned. A guide plate 47is secured to the back of the shoe and may move vertically throughopenings'in horizontal arms at the top and bottom of the hanger 45.

A. plurality of springs 48 force against the back of the shoe 46 andproduce continuous frictional engagement between the faces of the shoeand the flange faces of one of the pulleys 16. Thus when the wheel 16 isrotated in either direction it will cause the shoe to be shifted in thesame direction and will thereby act through the levers and links to movethe sliding valves 36.

lin operating of the present invention the device is assembled as hereshown. Assuming that a cut has been made and that the carriage is nowbeing moved in the direction of the arrow -a-, the operation will be asfollows: Rotation of wheel 16 in engagement with the shoe 46 will causethis shoe to move downwardly in the direction of arrow Z9- as shown inFig. 4. This will pull on the connecting rod 43, causing the bell crank40 to swing in the direction of the arrow -c-. This motion will beimparted through the rod 39 and the lever 37 to the valve 36. This willuncover port 21, thus acting to force the piston 23 outwardly in thedirection of the arrow -cZ-. The outward movement of the piston will actthrough lever 25 and the connections 27 to swing shifting bell cranks 28and 29 in the direction of the arrow -e. This will act to shift theframe laterally and in the direction of arrow This valve will be heldover all the time the carriage Vis being moved in the direction of thearrow -c/,, but when it is moved in the opposite direction thefrictional engagement of the wheel 16 with the shoe 46 will cause thisshoe to shift in an opposite direction from the arrow -b-, thus settingin motion the lever mechanism which will move the valve member 36 in adirection to close the port 21 and open the port 20. f

lt will thus be seen that the movement of the carriage in oppositedirections will alternately cause the log to be offset by a simple andeffective operation.

`While l have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known tome, it will be understood that various changes might be made in thecombination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit of the invention, as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what T claim and desire to securebryV Letters `Patent is:

1. An odset mechanism for a log carriage comprising a carriage frame,transverse axles upon which said carriage frame is mounted and uponwhich it is slidable latorally, flange wheels on said 'axles to run upona track, sleeves fixed on said'arrles, bell crank levers pivoted to thecarriage frame and each having one arm connected with one of saidsleeves, a rod connecting the other ends of said bell cranks, a steamcylinder having a piston with a piston rod, an operating leverycentrally pivoted to said carriage frame, one end of said lever beingconnected with the said piston rod, the other end being connected to therod connecting said bell crank arms whereby movement of the piston willshift the frame laterally on said axles, a valve controlling the inletports of said steam cylinder, and an operative connection between saidvalve and one of the wheels on said axles whereby movement of the wheelin one direction will actuate the valve to admit steam into one end of.the cylinder to cause the carriage frame to be shifted in one directionand movement of the valve to admit steam in the' other end of thecylinder to shift the fram-elaterally in the opposite direction.

2., An offset mechanism fora log carriage comprising a carriage frame,transverse axles upon which saidrcarriage frame is mounted and uponwhich it is slidable latorally, flange wheels on said axles to run upona track, sleeves xed on said axles, bell crank levers pivoted to thecarriage frame and each having one arm connected with one of saidsleeves, a rod connecting the other ends of said bell cranks, a steamcylinder having a piston with a piston rod, an operating lever centrallypivoted to said carriage frame, one end of said lever being connectedwith the said piston rod, the other end being connectedl to the rodconnecting said bell crank arms whereby movement of the piston willshift the frame laterally on said axles, a valve controlling the inletports of said steam cylinder, and an operative connection between saidvalve and one of the wheels on said axles whereby movement of the wheelin one direction will actuate the valve to admit steam into one en d ofthe cylinder to cause the carriage frame to be shifted in one directionand `iovement of the wheel in the opposite direction to actuate thevalve to admit steam in the other end of the cylinder to shift the framelaterally in the opposite direction, said operative connectioncomprising a shoe frictionally geared against the face of said wheel andadapted to be shifted longitudinally by turning movement of the wheel, abell crank pivoted to the carriage frame, one arm of said bell crankbeing connected ,toY said shoe, the other arm being connected. by meansof levers to said valves,

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3. An oset mechanism for a log carriagev comprising and including acarriage frame, transverse axles upon which said carriage frame ismounted and upon which it is slidable laterally, flanged wheels on theaxles adapted to run upon a track, pairs of collars adjustably mountedupon said axles, a sleeve between each pair of collars, sleeves betweensaid pairs of collars to move the carriage frame a greater or lessdistance lat erally to fit the thickness of the cut from the log on thecarriage frame, bell crank levers ypivoted to the carriage frame eachhaving an arm connected with one sleeve, a rod connecting the ends ofthe other arms of the bell cranks, an operating lever centrally pivotedto the frame, one end of said lever connecting with said rod, a steamcylinder having a piston with a piston rod, the other end of saidoperating lever being connected to said'piston rod whereby movement ofthe piston in the said cylinder will longitudinally shift the firstnamed rod to laterally move the frame through the medium of the bellcranks, a slide valve cont-rolling the ports of said cylinder, anoperable connection between said slide valve and one of the wheels onsaid axles whereby turning;v

EDWARD S. RIDEOUT.

